Art of the table

Delicate strength
For lovers of the local, artisanal and hand-made, you can't go wrong with a GLASS AND CERAMIC MORTAR AND PESTLE from A.J. Métissage. The Quebec duo is made up of a ceramic artist and a glass blower who combined their passions and now craft unique kitchenware. This mortar and pestle are perfect for spices, offering great friction for effective grinding. You can choose either a white ceramic mortar and blown-glass pestle in cherry red, saffron or aubergine; or conversely, a coloured glass mortar with a white ceramic pestle. Guaranteed to look great even when they're just up on a shelf. $100. modernkaribou.ca. [SL]

Stuff it!
Most people have a friend or family member who excels at all things breakfast or brunch. So why not surprise them with something new to wow their guests, like an EBELSKIVER PAN? If you haven't heard of these tiny fluffy pancakes filled with jam, chocolate or cheese (traditional in Denmark), you soon will. A non-stick cast-aluminum version is $39.95 at Williams-Sonoma in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver (or Burlington, VT for enterprising Montrealers). A $15 cast-iron version ships to the rest of Canada from citychef.ca. [SL]

Pressed for success
For the truly stylish foodie on your list, the EVA SOLO GARLIC PRESS is a sure-fire winner. The 100-year-old Scandinavian company is known for creating the epitome of slick houseware. This swooping stainless steel press rests in a glass jar (used to store bulbs), and the pair resembles a whole head of garlic. Not just a pretty piece, it's also ergonomic and designed to make cleaning a snap – the press uses sharp metal slits rather than those little holes that we struggle to clean mashed garlic out of. But given the price tag, it's best to think of this as a work of art. $78 press alone; $90 with glass jar. unicahome.com. [SL]